Gas prices climbed again today in the Tampa Bay area after Hurricane Ike, and the Florida attorney general's office said it is being flooded with complaints about the price spikes. ...more

September 15, 2008

Mars Inc.'s Mars Petcare recalled dry cat and dog food made at its Everson, Pa., plant because of possible salmonella contamination. The amount of food involved wasn't disclosed. ...more

September 14, 2008

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers Thursday to avoid buying infant formula imported from China, citing reports of babies in that country who have fallen ill with kidney problems after consuming suspect formula. ...more

September 12, 2008

Dear Readers, In June, Mr. HandyPerson responded to a Florida reader having trouble finding a house painter who did not expect a 50 percent advance before signing a contract. He opined that perhaps this was not terribly unusual because the painters might need to purchase materials, and that she should make calls to city hall and the Better Business Bureau to ask about local standards, and to check about prospective painters. ...more

August 28, 2008

After several weeks of declining gas prices, consumers might want to brace themselves for an increase this week. ...more

August 25, 2008

After a barrage of consumer complaints, the government is banning phone calls of prerecorded sales messages unless consumers agree to receive the calls. ...more

August 22, 2008

When gas prices rose to more than $4 per gallon, it marked the tipping point for a lot of people. Reality set in, and consumers of all income levels have really started cutting back. And when we do need to spend, we're looking for deals. ...more

August 17, 2008

Wayne Dofflemyer of Bayonet Point says "nuclear" is the word some people are afraid to use in addressing America's energy future. ...more

August 2, 2008

Questions and answers about the housing bill signed by President Bush on Wednesday to help as many as 400,000 struggling homeowners facing foreclosure: ...more

July 31, 2008

About 9,350 youth beds were recalled Thursday because the toy chest that's attached to the bed can entrap children. ...more

July 4, 2008